Copyright Warning: The characters Xena, Gabrielle, et. al.
are all the intellectual property of MCA Universal. Athena copyright Olympian
Productions. Inclusion here is not intended to violate their copyrights.
The story may not be copied or reproduced, in any form, without this copyright
warning.

Content Disclaimer There's some physical violence against the
lead characters, as well as a very light portrayal of sexuality between
them.

A small motion in the branches ahead of her: Xena dodges but not quite
quickly enough. Blur, as a figure leaps out, tackles her. They roll on the
forest floor, only the sounds of their struggle audible. A hand raised up,
holding a dagger. Xena's gauntleted arm meets it.

Gabrielle: How was that?

Lying on top of Xena, holding the dagger: Gabrielle. She sits up, brushes
leaves from her clothes.

Xena: You learn fast. I almost missed that one.

G: Thanks. (gets to her feet) You know, I still don't feel ready.

X: It'll be better tomorrow, when you've started.

Gabrielle reaches her hand down; Xena takes it, pulls herself up and
glides her arm around Gabrielle's waist. They retrace the steps Xena has
just run, walking quietly for a minute or two, listening to the sounds of
the forest. Xena looks straight head, expressionless. Twice, Gabrielle looks
up at her. Puzzled.

G: Xena? What's worrying you?

X: Nothing.

G: (gives her a look)

X: I don't want to talk. (quick look sideways at Gabrielle) Yet.

G: OK.(continues walking) Fine.

They come to a small spring: stretches of flat rocks, trees. Argo and
Athanike wait, the sword and chakram strapped to Argo's saddle. Xena loosens
her body armor, sets it on the ground, while Gabrielle waits by the stream,
braiding her hair. Xena sits down next to her.

X: (annoyed) You just *have* to prove yourself.

G: (looking out over the stream) We've talked it into the ground. Yes,
I need to know I can make it, on my own. (soft, but challenging) And I think
you need to know it. But . . . there are some things I have to face. Alone.

X: (upset) You want to talk? Alright, Gabrielle, we'll talk. Darius gave
us this so we could be together. We've had five days. Now you decide you
have to be alone. How am I supposed to react?

G: I'll only be gone three days. And you said I'm ready. What could happen?

X: It's not about anything happening. It's about . . .(picks up a stone,
skips it across the water). Instead of continuing, she lies back, saying
nothing, as if that ends the argument. Stretching her arms above her head,
closing her eyes, she withdraws.

Gabrielle looks down at her, then gets a wicked smile on her face. Reaching
behind Xena, she pins her arms to the ground. Xena looks up, struggles,
but her arms are in exactly the wrong position to use upper body strength.
Straining to lift, her teeth clenched:

X: Where'd you learn this?

G: (casually) I've always known how to do this. I just never needed it
before. (looks around; in a dramatic half-whisper) Taken captive and ravaged
by a crazed Amazon princess, . . .

Fierce, Gabrielle kisses her. Cradling Xena's head in one hand, lifting
it slighty, kisses her again, longer. She shifts her weight, resting on
Xena, placing her hipbone on Xena's lower body. She moves, slightly; Xena
closes her eyes, turns her head to the side, holding her breath . . .

Later. Gabrielle lies in Xena's arms, asleep. Xena looks down, strokes
her hair, hums quietly. She looks into the fire, almost embers, and their
glow reflects in her eyes. Kisses the top of Gabrielle's head.

Xena wakes to a dim predawn. Gabrielle is gone.

She rises, walks to the stream and splashes water on her face. Disappearing,
returning with brushwood, arranges it in the firepit. Blowing on an ember,
she restarts the fire. Leaning against a tree, looking into the fire, images
come to her:

Running along a shore, laughing, keeping pace with Gabrielle on Argo.
Gabrielle reaches down, tries to gather her up; they both tumble in the
surf.

Night; full moon. Sitting outdoors in front of a fire, Gabrielle's hand
in her lap. Agape sits across from them. The flames illumine her face with
a flickering light, as the goddess of wisdom talks of the commitments and
meaning of marriage.

Standing together on a small outcrop, overlooking the sea. Gabrielle
fingers a necklace at her own throat: a small oblong glass bead, brown with
deep crimson tones, strung on a thin leather cord. Looks up, at a similar
necklace on Xena, smiles shyly. Xena puts a hand on Gabrielle's waist, draws
her closer.

Lying together under a heavy blanket. Gabrielle, propped up on an elbow,
looks down at her, smiles: "Like a fire got out of hand."

Xena opens her eyes. Touches the bead on her neck.

X: Two days, thirteen hours.

She stands, kicks out the fire, pours water over it. Short scenes of
her, riding along the beach, standing on a rock overlooking the sea, practicing
with her sword. Night again, sitting alone in front of the fire, face empty.

Late afternoon, second day. A small outcrop of rock divides the woods
from a meadow; Xena sits at the edge. The land slopes into a gentle valley,
sprinkled with whites and yellows of spring meadow-flowers. Some ways in
the distance, a small village with a line of farmers rolling bales of hay.
The sky has the makings of a late afternoon shower. Xena holds a small flower,
idly twisting it between thumb and forefinger, simply waiting for the next
thing.

Distant voices. A few hundred yards away, a group of fifteen or so men
emerge from the woods. All carry weapons: swords, spears, bows. Some wear
armor over a mix of dirty cloth and leather scraps, in poor condition. Five
or six ride horses. They look like an army defeated and starved, but there's
no semblance of a common uniform.

X: Raiders.

She stands, face set, slightly annoyed. Turning, she looks down the valley
again. Villagers set up behind bales of hay. Pitchforks stand out, also
long poles.

Xena turns, whistles for Argo. Her back to the valley, she hears a battle
cry, turns in time to see a large black horse charge through the middle
of the small army. The horse carries a warrior, dressed completely in white;
yelling, brandishing a sword, the rider picks up a few more of the soldiers
on horseback, and the foot soldiers begin to follow. The raid has begun.

Argo, still on vacation time, finally arrives; Xena rubs her flanks,
whispers in her ear. Strapping on her sword, she mounts, turns Argo to the
valley.

The white warrior is almost at the bales of hay. A neatly executed jump,
and he is in the midst of the farmers. Sword raised, slashing, the warrior
cuts through a cluster of farmers trying to dismount him. The remainder
of the army seem to hang back in front of the hay, while the white warrior
runs his horse back and forth thru the defenders, each turn through taking
down one or two farmers.

Xena, gallops down the hillside, lifts her chakram, yells. The mounted
soldiers turn, think better of it, move clear of her path.

Just in range, Xena looses the chakram; it flies straight and true towards
the white warrior. Who turns, lifts his sword, waits, and, as the chakram
comes in range, gives a short chop. The sound of metal on metal resounds
through the valley like a bell, as the chakram flies off the sword. Surprised,
but with a look of angry determination, Xena urges Argo forward, draws her
sword, yells again.

The white warrior turns his mount; head lowered, he digs in his spurs,
charging at full speed towards Xena.

He lifts his sword, raises his head, and Xena sees his face:

Gabrielle, wearing white, the color of death, charges at Xena.

Shocked, Xena reins in Argo, but Gabrielle's charge continues. Xena quickly
sheathes her sword, draws a dagger from her waist, aims along her arm, and
throws. The toss is low: missing Gabrielle, it lands with a thunk in the
rear flanks of her mount. The horse rears; hooves flying, threatening to
trample the soldiers and farmers near her. Gabrielle, looking grim, drops
her sword, and with both hands tries to control her injured horse. Xena
turns Argo, looks, sees one of Gabrielle's raiders standing, holding the
chakram. From the soldiers point of view, we see an angry Xena riding at
full speed, head on. Too late, the soldier tries to run, dodge. Xena, slowing,
matches his moves, and, as he turns to look up at her, leans over, reaches
down. Xena grabs the soldier, still holding the chakram, throws him over
the front of her saddle.

X: (deadly) Don't move.

She gallops up the hill and into the forest. In back of her, dismounted,
Gabrielle stands in the middle of battle. Her soldiers and the farmers are
fighting hand to hand. But Gabrielle stands, staring at the retreating figure
of Xena. Brows furrowed, face set, she picks up her sword, angrily sheathes
it. Turning, she looks around, grabs a farmer, flips him, and calmly walks
bare-handed into the fight.

Back at the spring, Xena dismounts, takes the soldier off Argo. His hands
are already bound behind him; now she sits him down in front of the firepit.
Wordless, she lights another fire against the night chill, then sits opposite
him, watching. The soldier stops struggling; through the slits of a helmet,
we see gray eyes, staring at Xena.

She gets up, kneels by him, yanks his hands back, forcing his head up,
to look at her.

X: We're going to have a little talk.

Still holding his hands, she rips off his crude helmet, tears off his
simple leather body armor. Hiss of indrawn breath:

Looking up at Xena, a young woman, wearing a dark sleeveless tunic, gold
nose ring and an angry face. She twists again, spits past Xena.

YW: You want to talk? Untie me first!

X: (menacing) Talk anyway. Talk about your leader.

L: (lifts her head proudly). Gabrielle. Eumonius found her. (shakes her
head) Big mistake. Single combat -- very fierce.

X: (bitterly) She killed him.

L: Womon warrior, you think you know. Be quiet, listen.

Xena tilts her head, searches the woman's face. Gets up on her knees,
slowly, unties her.

The young woman looks suspiciously at Xena, rubs her wrists. Then, striking
herself on the chest with her fist, proudly:

YW: I am Lydias. My people are the Yoruba.

X: Talk about Gabrielle.

L: She banished Eumonius. Told him, go back to his farm. Then she told
the others, no more killing. (curls her lip) They called her 'white warrior.'

Lydias sits back, looking at Xena, a challenge in her eyes.

X: (sarcastic) Nice try. You were raiding a village.

L: (shakes her head) Not a raid. Punishment. They ask for protection;
we give it. They forgot to pay . . . .

Xena sits back; she rests her head on one hand, thinking, confused. Lydias
looks up at her.

L: Your necklace (touches her own throat). Gabrielle has it too. So,
you both from the same tribe? All warrior women?

X: (distracted) No. We're . . . lovers.

L: Hm! I'm no child. And warrior woman, you're no man.

X: (smiles grimly) No. So what?

L: Gabrielle's lover is a man. We heard him last night, in her tent.

Xena stands, looks down at Lydias, who quickly moves her legs out of
the way. She looks around, strides to Athanike, takes Gabrielle's staff
from the saddlebag. Assembles it, tosses it to Lydias. Lydias catches it
with one hand, then takes it in the other. Looks, shakes it, nods approval
to Xena. Xena strides over to her, grabs the staff in the middle, one-handed
pulls Lydias to her feet, bringing them eye to eye. Tilting her head back
slightly, mouth twisted in anger:

X: You like to fight? Punish farmers? Try fighting me.

Lydias, gray eyed, only looks at her. As they stare, we see Xena's face
relax; puzzled, as though she no longer remembers why she was holding it,
she lets go the staff. Turns away, comes back with a bedroll. Throws it
at Lydias' feet.

L: Because, warrior, right now you need a friend. And I'm all you got.
(sits down next to her) So, Gabrielle. She was on a spirit quest?

X: I . . . guess.

L: Hmm! (shakes her head) Bad time for combat. (frowns) Very bad.

She pauses, looks at Xena.

L: And you. Her teacher?

X: (hesitates) Yes.

L: (shakes her head) She needed a guide. So many evil spirits.

Much later. Quarter moon, animal noises in the forest. The sky is clear,
showing thousands of stars. Lydias, under a blanket, lies quietly by the
fire. Xena sits, back against a tree. Her head is tilted up to the stars,
but her eyes are closed. She cries without sound, without expression.

Morning. The village lies quietly; a mist rising from the valley. Xena
is sitting on a log, at the edge of the woods. Lydias stands nearby, shoulder
resting against a tree, a dun-colored blanket over her shoulders. Athanike,
Argo graze in the meadow nearby.

L: You going to keep your promise, take me back?

X: She's not down there.

L: And how do you know that?

X: Let's just say . . . I know how she thinks. (stands) I'll show you.

Scenes like snapshots: Xena and Lydias ride slowly through a looted village.
A woman clutching a small girl to her, as the two ride by. A house, the
roof burnt out, the door thrown back, twisted. A group of men, bandaged:
head, arms, legs. Tended by the women of the town.

But, mostly, silence. The fear in the farmers' faces, as Xena rides by.

L: This . . . is wrong.

X: This is what you wanted. Punishment. (turns) I should leave you here
for them.

L: No. This isn't right.

X: You should have thought of that yesterday. (turns) I could have stopped
this. If I'd faced Gabrielle.

L: Womon warrior, you listen. Gabrielle told us to end fighting. Make
peace. (she urges Athanike on, comes level with Xena, looks her in the eye)
Last night. We talked about Gabrielle. And a spirit quest. Remember?

X: (looks at her, challenging)

L: Something very evil has happened here.

X: And I know who caused it. Let's go find her. Yii-ah!

Xena, with fury in her face, leans forward, and Argo surges ahead, away
from the ruin of the village. Lydias pauses. Looks again at the village.
And follows Xena.

The next scene is a small town. A wall protects the main houses, but
the town gate lies open, and no guards are posted. A dark black smoke rises
from within the walls.

Inside, the quiet of death. In the central marketplace, wagons lie overturned.
An occasional horse, dead. Flies gather. They turn a corner and . . the
white warrior, talking with three of her shock troops.

G: Lydias! Whose side are you on?

L: You are everything I despise. (rides up to Gabrielle, spits at her
feet)

G: Then get off my horse. (shouts) Now!

Lydias looks over to Xena, who gives a small signal: no. Gabrielle starts
to draw a sword from her side . . . and the sound of a whip cracks; Xena
holds one end; the other is wrapped around Gabrielle's body, pinning her
arms to her side. Gabrielle looks up in surprise, as Xena yanks, bringing
her to her knees.

X: I should have stopped you yesterday.

Gabrielle looks, sneers, and throws herself down, rolls, undoing the
whip, frees herself. Finishing the roll on her feet, she turns back, runs
towards Xena. Halfway there, she throws her hands forward, onto a bale of
hay. She flips, somersaults through the air . . and lands on Argo, in back
of Xena. Xena's neck is in the crook of her arm.

G: I've never killed anyone. You'd make a fine start.

X: (calm) So what stops you?

G: I give everyone a second chance. Take Lydias and get out. And then
stay out of my way.

Without a word, Lydias dismounts.

Xena sits, alone in the deep forest, immersed in dark green. A small
waterfall splashes along moss-covered rocks. The scenery seems to match
her mood:face in the palms of her hand, withdrawn.

Suddenly, in back of Xena, a young man. Wearing a short leather tunic,
collar turned up. He has a necklace almost the match of hers, but with a
death's head at his throat.

Ares: Is this any way to treat an old flame? Not even a wedding invitation!

Xena jumps up, then stands back, her face wary, her body tense, waiting
for an attack.

X: What did you do to her?

A: Completed her . . . education, of course. You gave her such a fine
start.

X: No!

Ares, like a bird of prey, circles around Xena. In back of her, whispering:

A: You know it's true. You took her innocence.

Ares walks around, to face her.

A; Who taught her to fight? Gave her a sword?

X: (pushes at him, pushes at empty air) You corrupted her.

A: (smiles, leans close, whispers again) You took her virginity. (blink;
he's gone; reappears standing; the waterfall as background) Without you,
she'd have a husband and two beautiful young children. A normal life.

With the last word, Xena lunges at him, catches him off guard, for a
moment has him by the collar. Then he's gone.

Ares reappears, sitting on a rock.

A: You could have her again. It's true (waves his hand). . . you and
I had our time. I'm willing to move on. A new relationship. Friendship.
Business partners? Gabrielle wouldn't have to know. She'd love you. She'd
never suspect who you really are, inside.

X: She knows. (smiles) She knows and she chose me.

A: Did she?

Ares begins to circle again, smiling, closing in for a kill.

A: The fates spin so many futures. You could die. She could die. Tragic.
Young lovers -- you had a whole life ahead. (sighs, shakes his head) Think
about it.

Ares turns away, stops.

A: And I never kissed the bride. But then, I wasn't invited to the wedding.
Old flames never are.

He walks over to Xena, who looks at him, not moving. Ares walks around
in back of her, as she steels herself for the kiss. And then he vanishes.

X: If you touch her. . .

(distant voice)

L: Hey! You are crazed. (shakes her head) Talking to yourself, In the
woods. It's no good.

X: (calls back, relieved) Lydias! Here! (Lydias plows her way though
a dense undergrowth. Pulls a burr off her tunic)

X: I was talking to Ares. (Lydias looks, uncomprehending) You can't see
him. The god of war.

L: Ah. Talk to the god. My people do that (nods).

X: You said, something evil. Ares.

L: This is good news?

X: I know what happened. He . . . put a spell. On Gabrielle.

L: I think, Gabrielle set the spell. On you.

Xena looks at her, smiles. Touches the bead on her neck.

X: You're right.

L: So, happy again?

X: I'll get her back (thinks, puts a hand on Lydias' shoulder, turns
to walk with her, out of the woods). Lydias . . . if someone put a spell
on your man, what would you, your people, do?

L: Who says it's a man, now? (smiles sweetly)

Xena drops her shoulders, looks, twists her lips in a half-smile back,
shakes her head. Lydias stops, moves close to Xena, places her palm flat
on Xena's chest.

L: Good heart in there. Much love. Some, still locked in.

Then, resuming the walk:

L: For a womon under a spell, we work roots.

X: Roots (barely suppressed smile).

L: Dark magic. Before the gods. Before time. Fire, water, earth, air.
(she looks up at the sky, clouded) More clouds, maybe tonight.

Dusk. Back at the spring, Xena sits, waiting for night. Lydias is busy
bundling together roots, leaves, plant stems.

L: Good. Now, an altar. Open to the moon. Flat, for the ritual. Rock,
for the fire. (looks at Xena) Find it.

X: (looks up) Find it?

L: You heard. Go!

Xena squats down before her:

X: (smiles) Why do I listen to you?

L: Hm! No choice. (puts a hand on Xena's head, caresses her hair, looks
at Xena) Soul empty. No choice.

Full night. An owl hoots. Lydias and Xena stand before a small, flat
rock outcrop. The moon is a tiny sliver, almost covered by clouds. Lydias
looks up, looks to Xena.

L: Now. Be still. Your heart, spirit.

She takes her bundle, unwraps it, placing herbs, roots in a circle around
the rock. Opening a small pouch, she pours a fine powder around the circle,
stops, looks up to the clouds around the moon, whispers:

Holding hands, they stand back from the altar. A whirlwind of water,
leaves, fire forms in the center, centered on the necklace. The flame grows,
then flashes, disappears. The wind dies down, the whirlwind vanishes. Lydias
drops Xena's hand, approaches the altar. A fist-sized gray lump sits where
the necklace had been.

X: Is she free?

L: (laughs) You'll free her. (hands Xena the lump) Crush this. Throw
it on her; she'll forget the spell. (nods at the lump) Her love is in here?
She'll forget that too.

X: (shakes herself; face hardened again) It's already gone.

Xena walks away into the moon-shadowed forest. Behind her, still at the
altar, Lydias. She cocks her head, thoughtful.

L: Mmmm hmmm. Warrior womon.

Next morning, Lydias is busy at the firepit, pulling things out and putting
things in. She looks over at Xena, just rising.

L: Food. End of fast.

X: (looking with distaste at a collection of steaming roots on a large
leaf) Isn't that the same stuff you used last night?

Lydias smiles at her.

L: You throw this powder on Gabrielle, and she's free. Right?

X: No. Ares doesn't give up.

L: So. Today, you fight the god of death. (looks down at the roots) Purify
yourself, warrior.

Xena swallows, looks pleadingly at Lydias.

Xena and Lydias ride together to the walls of a large city. The guards
at the gates take one look at Xena, step back. She stops near an older,
gray-bearded guard.

X: We need to see the city elders. It's urgent. Where are they?

G: This time of morning? The tavern. Or, council chambers. Follow the
main road, to the fountain. Then ask. (nods) Good speed to you, ladies.

L: (as they ride off) Impressive. How do you do that?

X: A gift?

Xena stands in front of a table. Behind it, five men. All well-dressed,
three of them heavy, very well content with themselves and the world. One
very thin, nervous. And one, in the center. He sits back, holding a scroll
in his left hand, looking at Xena. A beard along his chin, perfectly groomed:
the picture of civic virtue and responsibility. A row of windows in back
of the men give a strong clear light. It shows carpets, fine tables, plush
chairs. The signs of a prosperous city, and elders who have grown wealthy
with it.

Center elder: The simple fact is, we have been paying tribute to Eumonius
for the last ten years, and we have never had a problem.

X: Eumonious was defeated. The white warrior took over his army. They're
not interested in tribute. They want conquest.

Nervous elder: This white warrior. What is he like?

X: The white warrior is a woman. And she is deadly.

Center elder: She? I don't think this woman is going to be a threat.
(turns to the others with a smile) Do you?

Murmers of assent, laughter.

X: Take her seriously. You'll write your own death.

Nervous elder: I think . . five men here. We can handle her.

X: It's on your own heads. (shakes her head in disbelief) One last thing.
Where is the temple district?

Center elder: Going to pray, before the white warrior comes? (the elders
laugh) The temple of Zeus is just to the north of the fountain. But from
what you say, I think you want Athena Nike. Opposite Zeus, of course.

He has just turned to point, as the door to the room opens. Two guards
fall through the portal, wounded. And Gabrielle, smiling, holds a sword.
Looking at the elders:

G: I don't see my tribute. (turns, sees Xena) Interfering again. (turns
back to the council) She won't save you.

The thin, nervous elder stands up, starts to speak. Gabrielle, her eye
and sword on Xena, walks sideways to him, grabs his collar, twists until
he starts to choke, releases him. Still looking at Xena, still smiling:

G: You'd be better occupied bringing the gold.

Gabrielle steps forward, quickly brings her sword up, and smashes it
down on the council table, cutting it in half.

G: By the way. We're going to renegotiate the tribute.

Xena moves, draws Gabrielle's instant attention. And then she turns,
leaps out the window. We see her, dropping to the courtyard below, looking
quickly around to get her bearings, then running. Gabrielle, her sword raised
against the room, looks out the window, notes where Xena is running. She
turns back to the council.

G: I'll be back. I expect you all here. With the gold.

And then she too jumps, lands in the courtyard below.

Gabrielle, standing in the courtyard, scans for a trace of Xena. Fountain,
wagon, businessmen . . a trace of black hair, in front of the temple of
Zeus. Gabrielle runs forward, sword raised.

She hears rather than sees it: the chakram, coming straight at her. She
steps aside, raises her sword; the two metals clang, and Gabrielle's sword
is thrown from her hand. Xena, smiling, holds the chakram again.

Gabrielle, wasting no time, flips end over end forward, finishes with
her feet flying up at Xena's chest, knocking Xena back against the temple
steps. Xena falls; Gabrielle moves forward, her legs twisted around Xena's
next, ready to twist. Xena lets herself slide forward, then rolls sideways,
releasing her neck. She slides further down, past Gabrielle. Who reaches
out as Xena moves past, and holds Xena's sword.

Xena, her body tensed against an attack, watches Gabrielle. She feints
left, Gabrielle lunges, as Xena turns and runs to the fountain. Gabrielle
lifts the sword, about to throw like a spear, thinks better of it, runs
after Xena.

Gabrielle catches up to her on the steps of a building across the central
plaza. Xena, on the fifth step, holds a short dagger. Gabrielle stands at
the foot of the stairs, looking up at Xena.

X: You can't win, Gabrielle. You never could.

As Gabrielle shows anger, Xena leaps, lands in back of Gabrielle, bends
forward, and kicks. She connects, knocking Gabrielle's legs out from under
her, then turns. Gabrielle, on her back, still holds the sword. Xena circles
round to the right, climbing up the steps to get the advantage of height.
Then she breaks, runs up, and Gabrielle gets to her feet.

G: (smile) Trapped.

Gabrielle runs after Xena, into a building. Cautious, waiting for an
ambush, she looks around. The building consists of one large hall, a statue
and a small marble table at the end opposite Gabrielle. In closer focus,
as Gabrielle walks slowly forward, searching, the table resolves into an
altar, with a crimson cloth covering, and offerings of fruit. The statue
resolves into the goddess Athena.

"Yiyiyiyi!"

Xena, flying through the air, hits Gabrielle from behind. She falls,
rolls with Xena's attack. Xena slides forward along the marble floor. And
Gabrielle stands over her, holding her sword.

And then, suddenly, it is over. Lying defenseless, Xena looks up at Gabrielle.
Emotionless, Gabrielle takes the hilt of her sword in both her hands, raises
it above her head, blade pointing down at Xena's chest. Gabrielle pauses,
a small smile of triumph on her face . . .

As Xena rolls, crushes the stone in her left hand, tosses it in Gabrielle's
face. She pushes herself back, sliding along the polished marble, out of
range of the sword.

As the fine powder hits Gabrielle,, she throws up a hand to protect her
face. She wipes her face with her arm, steps back, looks up, like she's
been hit in the stomach. She steps slowly back, one hand letting go the
sword, her mouth open. Gabrielle stops, her back against the altar, a look
of horror on her face. She wavers, splits in two; half solidifies into the
figure of a young man. The other half, Gabrielle, cries out; drops unconscious
to the floor. Xena looks up:

Ares: Very clever. But you know, it won't save either of you.

Xena smiles:

X: I think you have the wrong temple.

Ares looks back at the figure of Athena, looks around, searching.

A: Athena! Come out! Come out and fight!

His words echo through the marble hall, he looks around, but the goddess
does not appear. Crazed, frothing with rage:

A: Athena!

Only echoes.

Ares (turns to Xena) This isn't over. Next time . . I will come for you
both. (disappears)

Xena stands, looks around. In the silence of the great hall, Gabrielle
lies, crumpled, her sword beside her, at the foot of the altar. Xena looks
up at the white marble statue of the goddess. Helmeted, resting on a spear.
Athena, her eternally youthful face composed, quietly wise, stares blankly
back. Xena kneels, holds Gabrielle's upper body in her arms.

X: Athena. (places her cheek against Gabrielle's) You said . . . when
Ares came again, to remember you (a tear just beginning to streak her face,
again looks up at the statue).

X: (halfway between a laugh and a sob) Athena. (shakes her head, too
many shocks: overload) What's going to happen to Gabrielle? To us?

Athena:(sits down beside Xena, takes Gabrielle's hand) My gifts to you
were wisdom and courage. *Everything* else, you make. Kings like Darius
can give you a country for a wedding present. But even a goddess can't give
you love. (lays Gabrielle's hand down on her chest, stands) Take her home.

X: That's all?

Athena: Wisdom and courage. Yes. That's all.

Gabrielle lies, wrapped in a heavy robe, near the spring. Xena sits,
holding a small white flower between thumb and forefinger. Looking up from
time to time at Gabrielle. Looking down at the flower.

G: (disoriented) I . . . was dreaming. You were in it, and Agape. We
were all sitting in front of a fire. Except then it wasn't Agape it was
Athena . . . (smiles again, shakes her head, sits up). Ouch! I feel like
a horse stepped on me. (looks around) Xena. Where are we? I don't remember
. . . how long was I asleep?

X: You're home.

G:(still soft and dreamy) Home? (looks around) It looks so different.
But I know this place. Are we going to see my mom and sis?